The National Secretary of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), Peter Ameh, has accused President Bola Tinubu of “Destroying the fabric of Nigeria’s economy”.
Speaking on the backdrop of the celebration of his two years in office, Ameh, who spoke on Arise News on Friday night described the fuel subsidy removal as “Impulsive, unplanned, and devastating” to millions of Nigerians.
Ameh, a former presidential aspirant and long-standing political activist, criticised the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration for implementing harsh economic policies without “Any consideration for the suffering masses.”
According to Ameh, the decision to remove the fuel subsidy was not only insensitive but also lacked any well-structured policy framework to mitigate its adverse effects on ordinary Nigerians.
He argued that any major policy shift, such as fuel subsidy removal, should be accompanied by a step-by-step implementation strategy, supported by cushioning measures to ease the economic burden on citizens.
“At the time the President came, a litre of fuel was N197. Today, it’s about N1,000. The removal was done without a concrete plan or policy direction. It was an impromptu decision that worsened the lives of struggling Nigerians,” he said.
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Ameh took a swipe at APC loyalists defending the Tinubu administration, questioning whether they “live in an alternate universe” or are simply too afraid to acknowledge the suffering of Nigerians.
“When you look at the liberal economic principles and policies that eventually affect the downtrodden, you begin to wonder: are these the right policies for Nigeria’s reality?” he asked.
He also dismissed attempts by government officials to defend current conditions using “abstract statistics that don’t reflect the suffering on the streets.”
The CUPP chieftain accused President Tinubu of failing to follow through on his campaign promises, including a major agricultural initiative to cultivate 500,000 hectares of land across Nigeria — a promise Ameh said has “remained unfulfilled.”
“Every time the President makes a statement, Nigerians are left hanging. There’s no follow-through. The economy is suffering, and the people are worse off than they were two years ago,” he lamented.
Highlighting the spiralling transportation costs caused by the removal of fuel subsidies, Ameh emphasised how rising logistics expenses are inflating the prices of goods and services, compounding the economic distress faced by millions.
“Transportation is a connecting network in the economy. Once it’s affected, the entire system suffers. Nigerians are not seeing any improvements — only more hardship,” he noted.
Ameh urged the Tinubu administration to urgently revisit its economic policies and introduce “real, impactful reforms that prioritise the well-being of ordinary Nigerians.”
“If the government were truly working after two years in office, the people would feel it. But instead, what we have is growing frustration, hunger, and despair,” he concluded.
